Edyta Górniak

Edyta Górniak (born November 14, 1972 in Ziębice, Poland) is one of the most popular female singers of Polish pop music.

Biography

Beginnings

At the age of 14 Górniak formed a band and was playing at private parties and evening dances. After studying and taking singing lessons, in 1989, aged 16, she gave her first public appearance on a Polish television talent show where she won with Sam Brown's hit song "Stop!". In 1990 she performed on the Opole Polish Song Festival with an honourable mention. During the next three years she was the star of the musical "Metro" ("Subway") - the most popular and longest running homegrown musical in Polish history and in two music performances "Do grającej szafy grosik wrzuć" ("Put a Dime in the Jukebox") -- with classic Polish pop songs from the pre-rock'n'roll era and "Brel" -Polish versions of songs by the Belgian French-speaking singer-songwriter Jacques Brel.

Eurovision breakthrough

In 1993 Górniak took part in the Baltic Song Contest and finished in third place. In 1994 she was the first Polish artist to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest, in which she claimed a highly creditable second place, which still stands as Poland's best showing in the contest. Her song was "To nie ja" ("That's Not Me"), which was also released on a single in English as "Once In A Lifetime".

"To nie ja" proved to be her breakthrough in Poland, becoming there the biggest hit of 1994. Górniak was signed to Pomaton-EMI. Her first studio album "Dotyk" ("The Touch") released a year later, sold 500,0000 copies in Poland, bringing new hits "Jestem kobietą" ("I'm a Woman") and the eponymous "Dotyk", which was the biggest Polish radio hit of 1995. In 1996 she signed a contract in London with EMI International for five albums. However, she continued recording for the Polish market, and had three more hits in Poland: "Kolorowy wiatr" (Polish version of "Colors of the Wind" from the Disney movie "Pocahontas"), a club hit "Love is On the Line" (which was written by Kylie Minogue) and "To Atlanta!" ("It's Atlanta", Polish hymn of the 1996 Olympic Games).

Edyta released her first English-language album "Edyta Górniak" a year later, with producer Chris Neil, who was responsible for the international success of Celine Dion. However, the mediocre success of the singles "When You Come Back To Me" and "One & One" limited the album's global impact, with sales of 200,000 units internationally, but also 150,000 units in Poland. During the promotion of that album, Górniak had another two hits recorded for her Polish audience: "Lustro" (Polish version of the song hit "Reflection" from the Disney movie "Mulan") and "Dumka na dwa serca" (theme from the Polish film "With Fire and Sword"), which became the biggest Polish hit of 1999.

Falling sales

In 1999 Górniak began a tour through Poland and released the album "Live ´99". In 2002 she was dropped from EMI International and signed to Virgin Germany. Then her next international album "Perła" ("Pearl") was released in Poland, a year before its international premiere. It was produced by the team Absolute, which was responsible for the success of The Spice Girls. The Polish edition was a double album, which contained new Polish songs, including hits "Jak najdalej" ("As Far As Possible") and "Nie proszę o więcej" ("I'm Not Asking for More").

Górniak was also asked to sing the Polish National Anthem at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, but her performance had a decidedly mixed reception. In 2003 an English-language version of "Perła" was released internationally as "Invisible" with the club tune "Impossible" as a bonus track, which was the biggest hit from the album. "Invisible" was a commercial flop with over ten times worse international sales than her previous studio album, although the Polish version of "Perła" had quite good results in a time of phonographic crisis, selling 35,000 units. A year later she was dropped from Virgin and after ten years of cooperation also left her Polish label Pomaton EMI.

Independent music

That same year she gave birth to her son, Allan. She then started her own independent label EG Production and began a collaboration with the Polish production team Mathplanete to record her new Polish album in a brand new style, with chill-out club music. In May 2005, she released the single "Lunatique", which was performed in French. In November, Edyta married the father of her child, Dariusz Krupa, who was also a guitarist in her band.

In February 2006 she appeared on the cover of Polish edition of Playboy magazine for the third time and released another club single "Sexuality". Górniak then left Mathplanete unexpectedly, dumping the idea of recording club music, and began working on her new international pop album, seeking a new major record label. She chose Sony BMG and the first result of this new direction was the hit "Cygańskie serce" ("Gypsy Heart") presented in June at the Opole Polish Song Festival. Her English-language single "Loving You", in December 2006, was a flop. In January 2007 Górniak sang another movie theme, this time for "Smocze wzgórze" - the Polish-language version of the animated Spanish movie "Dragon Hill".

Since March 2007 she has appeared as the juror in a TV show "Jak oni śpiewają" ("Soapstar Superstar"), in which stars from popular Polish TV programs compete for a record deal.

Her first studio album in five years, "E.K.G.", finally was recorded for independent label Agora, not for Sony BMG. It was released in October 2007 and promoted by the single "List", which was a Polish version of Celine Dion's "I Surrender". The album also contained Edyta's previous two singles recorded for Sony BMG. "E.K.G." has moved over 40,000 copies in Poland.

Discography

Albums (Polish and international releases):

*"Dotyk" (released in Poland, 8 May 1995)
*"Edyta Górniak" (first released 1997 in Japan as "Kiss Me, Feel Me", 1998 in Europe; 1999 re-released in Poland as "Edyta Górniak - Special Edition" with 3 bonus tracks earlier available only on international editions)
*"Live '99" (1999, Europe)
*"Invisible" (first released in Poland as "Perła" 2002, with bonus disc containing 7 Polish tracks; European release: 31 March 2003; re-released in Poland as "Perła - Special Edition" 2003 with many bonus tracks and remixes)
*"Złota Kolekcja - Dotyk" (compilation released in Poland, 22 March 2004)
*"Edyta Górniak - Dyskografia" (released in Poland, 2006 - boxset with complete Polish discography on 5 CDs & DVD with almost all videos)
*"E·K·G" - (released in Poland, 12 October 2007)

ingles (Polish and international releases):

* "To nie ja" (released in Poland, Pomaton EMI, 1994, promotional radio single)
* "Once In A Lifetime" (EDEL, 1994)
* "Jestem kobietą" (released in Poland, Pomaton EMI, 1994, promotional radio single)
* "Dotyk" (released in Poland, Pomaton EMI, 1995, promotional radio single)
* "Kolorowy wiatr" (released in Poland, Pomaton EMI, 1995, promotional radio single; Polish version of Vanessa L. Williams's "Colors Of The Wind" from Disney's movie "Pocahontas")
* "Love Is On The Line" (released in Poland, Pomaton EMI, 1996; club hit written for her by Kylie Minogue)
* "To Atlanta" (released in Poland, Pomaton EMI, 1996; Polish hymn of the 1996 Olympic Games)
* "When You Come Back To Me" (EMI, 1997)
* "Hope For Us" (released in Poland, Pomaton EMI, 1997, promotional radio single; duet with Jose Carreras)
* "Anything" (EMI, 1998)
* "Lustro" (released in Poland, PolyGram Polska, 1998, promotional radio single, Polish version of Christina Aguilera's "Reflection" from Disney's movie "Mulan")
* "Dumka na dwa serca" (released in Poland, Pomaton EMI, 1998, promotional radio single; duet with Polish soul singer Mietek Szczesniak from the most expensive Polish movie of the 20th century "With Fire And Sword")
* "One & One" (Toshiba- EMI (Japan), 1997; EMI, 1999)
* "Linger" (EMI, 1999, promotional radio single)
* "Stop!" (released in Poland, Pomaton EMI, 1999, promotional radio single; live version of Sam Brown's hit)
* "Hunting High & Low" (released in Poland, Pomaton EMI, 2000, promotional radio single; live version of A-ha's hit)
* "Jak najdalej" (released in Poland, Pomaton EMI, 2002, promotional radio single)
* "Nie proszę o więcej" (released in Poland, Pomaton EMI, 2002, promotional radio single)
* "Słowa jak motyle" (released in Poland, Pomaton EMI, 2002, promotional radio single; "The Day Before The Rain" in Polish)
* "Perla" (released in Poland, Pomaton EMI, 2002, promotional radio single; "The Story So Far" in Polish)
* "Impossible" (Virgin, 2003)
* "Nieśmiertelni" (released in Poland, Pomaton EMI, 2003, promotional radio single; Polish version of Queen's "Who Wants To Live Forever")
* "The Story So Far" (Virgin, 2003, promotional radio single)
* "Whatever It Takes" (Virgin, 2003, promotional radio single)
* "Nie było" (released in Poland, Pomaton EMI, 2004, promotional radio single; collaboration with Polish metal group Sweet Noise)
* "To nie ja 2004" (released in Poland, Pomaton EMI, 2004, promotional radio single; club version of Górniak's breakthrough hit with new vocal)
* "Krople chwil..." (released in Poland, ZPAV-ZAIKS, 2004, promotional radio single; from TV commercial of mineral water Cisowianka)
* "Lunatique" (released in Poland, EG Production, 2005)
* "Sexuality" (released in Poland, EG Production, 2006)
* "Cygańskie serce" (released in Poland, Sony BMG Poland, 2006, promotional radio single)
* "Loving You" (released in Poland, Sony BMG Poland, 2006, promotional radio single)
* "List" (released in Poland, Agora, 2007, promotional radio single)
* "Dziękuję Ci" (released in Poland, Agora, 2007, promotional radio single)

International Charts

ingles

Covers of Edyta Górniak's songs

* "One & One" Robert Miles feat. Maria Nayler (Dreamland, 1996)
* "Perfect Moment" Martine McCutcheon (You, Me & Us, 1999)
* "Perfect Moment" Rochelle (singiel, 1999; Higher, 2004)
* "Coming Back To Love" (as "Back To Love") Suzy K. & Donny Osmond (As I Am, 2000)
* "Perfect Moment" Mary Griffin (singiel, 2000; Purified, 2002)
* "Sleep With Me" (as "Sleep") Conjure One (Conjure One, 2002)
* "Soul Boy" Melanie C. (Reason, 2003)
* "If I Give Myself (Up) To You" (as "Miracolo") Lisa (Oceano, 2003)
* "When You Come Back To Me" Robin Beck (Wonderland, 2003)
* "Sleep With Me" (as "Sleep") Lola Ponce (2004)
* "Whatever It Takes" Anthony Callea (A New Chapter, 2006)
* "Sleep With Me" (as "Casino Royale") Sandra (The Art Of Love, 2007)
* "Love Is A Lonely Game" Jennifer Kae (2008)

External links

* [http://www.edytagorniak.com.pl Official Site]
* [http://www.edytagorniak.pl Edyta-Forum]
* [http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/gorniak_edyta/artist.jhtml VH1 profile]
* [http://www.myspace.com/gorniakedyta Edyta Górniak at Myspace.com]
* [http://music.yahoo.com/ar-272826---Edyta-Gorniak Edyta Górniak on Yahoo!Music]
* [http://www.edyta-gorniak.hi5.com Edyta Góniak at hi5.com]
* [http://www.edyta.info.ms Edyta.info.ms - Fansite]
* [http://www.egorniak.bighost.pl Edyta Górniak Collection]

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before=-
title=Poland in the Eurovision Song Contest
years=1994
after=Justyna Steczkowska